Easy Breezy Summer Patio

Create that perfect 'staycation' summer patio the whole family will enjoy! These quick and easy ideas will have you spending more time enjoying your outdoor spaces, less time preparing them and loving every minute of it.

Fast redo for worn out patio furniture. Spray paint it. It's quick and cheap. These days you can buy spray paint for any surface from wood and wicker, to metal and even plastic! Spray several thin coats rather than one thick coat to keep the finish even and free of runs.

Revitalize your furniture cushions without sewing! All you need is fabric and heavy duty tape. You can use any fabric that you have on hand. If it's not outdoor fabric, just bring your cushions in when necessary. Simply wrap your cushions and tape the fabric down on the underside side. Add a splash of color with reversible throw pillows. Use brightly colored cloth napkins or bandannas to sandwich a small pillow form. Tie the fabric in a knot at the four corners.

Designer patio rug for cement patios and wooden decks. This is a great project to get the kids to help with. Use sidewalk chalk to draw any rug size or shape to fits your space. Paint it with outdoor paint. This is a handy way to use up any small bits of leftover paint you may have laying around! Paint a fast color block and consider it done. Or have fun and create any pattern that pleases. Painted fringe adds to the illusion. Small imperfections will make it more believable, so don't worry about making it perfect.

Crazy easy summer foliage. For ultra inexpensive greenery, plant grass seed in your pots or large bowls. Just let it fill in and grow. Simple, charming and no mowing required!

Mood lighting sets the tone! Make your own inexpensive outdoor lanterns with common household items. Line the bottom of glass jars with sand and place a candle inside. For extra color, stain the sand with food coloring before using. Use citronella candles for double duty. Keep it safe and never leave candles unattended. Don't place them on a flammable surface or in a draft.

Charming outdoor spaces are so simple to create. No matter if you have a small balcony or a large backyard, these simple facelifts will brighten it right up. It's time you enjoy your summer patio!

Cathy Robertson is an Artist and writer for Fine Art Castle. Stop by and take a peek at our Fine Art Prints for your Canvas Art decorating needs at http://www.fineartcastle.com

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Planning An Outdoor Kitchen

Planning Overview

Homeowners have always appreciated the benefits of cooking, dining, and entertaining outdoors. With fresh air and the sounds of nature and nice neighborhoods, people discover that some of life's stresses seem to melt away in the backyard.

Not too many years ago, outdoor cooking meant a tiny grill with little or no working space. This meant many trips to and from the house, a weathered old picnic table, and generally many inconveniences.

Currently, people are taking steps to claim their backyard as an extension of the comforts of their home. Manufacturers of outdoor cooking products have responded with a huge supply of products. Some examples are: large grills that make cooking easier, outdoor pizza ovens, cabinets specifically for the outdoors, and large entertaining areas.

These days, there is something for every budget, and even small upgrades can improve the outdoor cooking experience. Here are some tips to get started planning a small but nice outdoor kitchen:

A modest outdoor kitchen usually consists of a built-in gas or charcoal grill set into 6 foot long counter and a couple of cabinets below the grill. If you are currently used to cooking on a tiny grill with little or no flat surface area, then this will be a major outdoor kitchen upgrade. It will also provide a stable cooking appliance and an area for preparing vegetables and other foods for cooking.

For the easiest installation, buy an all-in-one grill unit. Some units contain a built-in refrigerator and/or overhead lighting. Consider the simplest unit if your backyard space is limited. If you only grill occasionally, a big outdoor cooking system might be a little more than you need.

Adding Touches to Your Patio and Outdoor Kitchen

If you would like to take the simple counter and grill a step further, consider some of these options:

-Add a raised counter or outdoor bar, sitting either to the side of or on the opposite side of the grill station. This allows you to bring family members and friends closer to the cook, giving the cookout a better social atmosphere.

-If you install an electric line and an outdoor receptacle near the grill station counter, you will be able to run various electrical appliances, such as a refrigerator, food processor, or electric knife. This is always a better option than just running an extension cord outside.

-If your counter is near the house and close to the indoor kitchen, it might be inexpensive to hook up a sink to the cutting area. This will be very helpful in food preparation and cleanup.

-Think about building a fire pit in the yard. This will add kind of a campfire-like experience to your cookouts. It will also make the outdoor kitchen area appear bigger and more user-friendly.

-Nice looking patio furniture also gives off a more comfortable feel and enhances the setting.

-Low-voltage lighting, for a relatively low price, will create a nice ambience to the whole backyard kitchen setting.

If you live in a climate where you can cook outdoors more often, then by all means, build to suit that lifestyle. If the climate or your lifestyle does not permit outdoor cooking as often, then scale down your outdoor grill area plans to fit those needs. Remember, there really is never any need to create more of an outdoor kitchen than what your budget or your time will allow.

Billy Bristol is the editor and chief bbq pitmaster for TexasBarbeques.com, an outdoor cooking and entertaining website devoted to backyard living. TexasBarbeques.com has been providing barbecue recipes, cooking tips, grilling techniques, and backyard entertainment ideas since 2005.

TexasBarbeques.com

Orangeries - The Latest Fashion Accessory For Your Home

Ok so you've got the latest fifty inch flat screen television, black granite kitchen work tops and an Italian leather corner sofa. So you think your home is at the cutting edge of fashion when it comes to having all the latest trends. Or is it? The latest trend is to have an orangery attached to the back of your property. Similar to conservatories, an orangery is fast becoming the must have accessory for uber trendy homes. However orangeries are not a new thing at all.

Orangeries were actually very popular amongst the upper classes they were found in the grounds of fashionable residences during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. As the name suggests they were used as a place to grow citrus trees as they could not survive outside during the winter in the UK climate. With the increase in travel around the globe orangeries became more popular as explorers brought seeds and plants back from around the world which in order to survive needed to be housed inside yet needed the maximum daylight possible. The orangery soon became a symbol of status no longer were they just used for practical purposes. They became an important feature of the garden as owners would take their guests on tours of their orangeries to admire the exotic fruits and plants. Very soon orangeries themselves started to become more lavish and were admired as part of the tour. The orangery became an area to entertain in inclement weather.

This was the beginning of what we now know as an orangery today which is often referred to as the next generation of conservatory. There are however subtle differences between a conservatory and a orangery. An orangery is actually a cross between what we think of as a traditional extension and a conservatory. They benefit from glass roofs which make them feel very light and airy yet the stone or brick columns used to support the roof of the orangery help to create a substantial structure which is cosy and useable throughout the year.

An orangery creates a really unique space and offers a great alternative to a conventional brick extension or conservatory. For this reason they are becoming more and more popular. Orangeries can really help to add space to your house and can be used for many different purposes. They are a great place to relax in with your family but equally can be brilliant for entertaining friends and neighbours. By adding French doors to your orangery it can help to bridge the gap between your house and garden and can be great for summer BBQs when it gets a little chilly outside but you don't really want to go inside.

Orangeries come in a whole host of shapes and sizes and can be built out of a variety of different materials so you are bound to find a style which is in keeping with the rest of your home. You can choose to have a standard orangery installed or alternatively you can choose to have a custom made bespoke orangery built to fit in with your own personal specifications.

For more information on Orangeries Wales and Conservatories Wales please visit our website or call into your local show room.

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